Opening win for Youzhny

Home favourite Mikhail Youzhny booked his place in the second round of the St Petersburg Open with victory over Vasek Pospisil.

Last Updated: 18/09/12 8:23pm

Mikhail Youzhny: Came through first-round clash with Vasek Pospisil

Former champion and home favourite Mikhail Youzhny made it safely through to the second round of the St Petersburg Open with a 7-6 (7/4) 6-1 win over Vasek Pospisil.

The top seed Youzhny, who won the title in 2004 and has also twice been runner-up, battled through a tight first set and then broke the Canadian twice in the second to seal the victory.

Slovakian fifth seed Lukas Lacko was a surprise casualty, however, being beaten 6-3 6-2 by Slovenia's world number 69 Grega Zemlja, who broke his opponent's serve five times in the course of the match.